Patna: A political row has erupted in Bihar after an RTI disclosure claimed that lakhs of rupees were spent on a temporary VVIP toilet during Chief Minister Nitish Kumar’s Pragati Yatra in Araria district. Leader of Opposition Tejashwi Yadav has attacked the state government over the expenditure, calling it a symbol of misplaced priorities.
According to the report, Nitish Kumar had visited Raniganj in Araria on January 22, 2025, as part of his Pragati Yatra. For the event, a temporary VVIP toilet and urinal were allegedly constructed for brief use by the Chief Minister and other dignitaries. The issue came to light through RTI related information and has now triggered sharp political criticism.
Tejashwi Yadav, in a post on X, questioned the spending and described it as a “red carpet” toilet built for a few minutes of use. He claimed that ₹7.41 lakh was spent on the temporary facility for a one hour programme and said such an amount could have been used to build 37 permanent toilets for poor families.
The RJD leader further said that common people are given ₹12,000 as government assistance for toilet construction. He alleged that even this amount is affected by corruption, while a much higher expenditure was approved for a temporary facility in one of Bihar’s most backward districts.
The report said the matter gained attention after an official letter dated June 2 was sent by Public Health Engineering Department engineer in chief Nityanand Prasad to the Accountant General. The letter reportedly carried details related to withdrawal and allocation of funds for the VIP toilet construction under the financial year 2024 to 2025.
As per the RTI details cited in the report, the Public Health Engineering Department spent ₹4,71,691 on the temporary VIP toilet and urinal. The facility was built at the programme venue and later removed after the event.
The controversy has given the opposition another issue to target the Nitish Kumar government, especially on public spending and rural sanitation. The response of the ruling JDU and BJP will now be watched closely, as the matter has already become a political talking point in Bihar.